Airline News and Commentary

A 15, 13 and 11-year old from the Jacksonville area saved up their babysitting money because they wanted to go to Dollywood in Tennessee. However, they didn’t bother telling their parents when they went to the Southwest Airlines ticket counter in Jacksonville and bought tickets to fly to Nashville. Nobody batted an eye when they purchased the tickets and went through security without ID (since they weren’t yet 18, they didn’t need it).

Their plans were thwarted, however, when they landed in Nashville and discovered that Dollywood is near Knoxville, not Nashville. They had a bit o’ a freak out, called their parents, and returned on the next flight home. Southwest, for its part (and correctly), said it did nothing wrong. Its rules say that minors over 11 can travel alone, and since the 11 year old was accompanied by the older kids, its staff followed policy.